So You Want to be a Producer
The sad reality is, a lot of productions fall through and for many reasons. If you're just starting out as a producer though, here are some things to consider before jumping in with both feet.
Time management-
Many first time producers become overwhelmed by the amount of work that goes into making a radio play, having underestimated the hours of free time necessary for a full scale production. On average, it takes forty-five minutes to an hour for every minute of finished work. For effects heavy pieces, it can easily double. Those figures may sound outrageous but when you break it down it's easy to see where all that time goes. For example, just for a minutes worth of conversation, you will need to attend to additional noise reduction and level adjustments for consistency between characters, trial and error with line timing for a natural flow and decide if you want background noise or music and finding the right ones to set the mood. When you're not actively adjusting something, you're listening to what you've completed so far to make sure it's consistent and of good quality. Producing a well constructed radioplay is much more than just taking lines and slapping them into place like pieces to a jigsaw puzzle. Make sure you are ready for the commitment and have the time to devote to it before you decide to hold auditions. Don't let the excitement of the moment make you just another canceled production on someone's resume.
If you are determined to be a producer and see your vision realized, consider these few tips.
1. Start with your demo. This is by far the best way to really play around with production tools in an environment that is not demanding or binding. Try making mini skits that have you voicing more than one character against yourself and introduce sound effects and background noises to them. Not only will this help make an original and interesting demo, but the skills you can pick up will be instrumental in your future productions.
Not a voice actor? Consider how much story telling sound effects can do. Maybe you want to illustrate a man rising from a chair, walking to the sink for some water, and walking back. Building that scene will not only help you realize motions in audio but help you build up a sound effects library. Make sure you save that finished sound file so in the future, if the need presents itself, you already have a finished action sequence ready to be mixed in.
Even sound effects many times will require noise removal and level adjustment so whether you're starting off with lines or sounds, the base understanding of how to moderate the files is the same.
2. Try to start off with smaller scale productions. Think small casts and less than ten minutes in length, especially if you're in any way unsure as to how much time you will have work on it. You may really want to do something epic but with no hands on experience you're narrowing your chances for success. In doing smaller productions, you can also build an actor base as you never really know what it'll be like to work with any particular AVA until you do. Maybe you love their voice but they're always asking for extensions or submit bad quality recordings that require a lot of tweaking on your part. That might be something you can handle on a small project but not something you may want to deal with on something larger. In doing small productions to start with, you can acquaint yourself with actors on a whole different level and have a great basis for scouting and casting when it comes to that epic radioplay you've been wanting to do.
Also, some producers are almost guaranteed a whole host of auditions, many times from a loyal group of actors who enjoyed the experience of working with them before, because that producer has proven him or herself to be excellent in finishing productions of good quality. Make a name for yourself, prove to actors you are a safe investment for their time, and continue to deliver quality productions as you build up a network of actors and producers who will be more than willing to help you with bigger things.
3. So you've casted your production and are sitting back waiting for the lines to come in before you get started. In effect, you're wasting valuable time. While your actors are recording, look for your sound effects and ambiance. The script is finished so you already know what you need and looking for the right sounds can be an exhaustive process. Maximize your productivity by managing your time wisely and getting done the things you can do without lines.
When lines start to come in, don't feel you need to wait till you have them all in to get started. Build whatever scenes you can or if you can't, look to reducing the noise and selecting the takes you want to include from the available lines. If you work as you go, you should keep yourself from becoming too overwhelmed when it's finally all down to you.
4. Set a deadline for yourself. You don't need to advertise you due date but if you're the kind of person who needs that added stress to perform, by all means do. Make yourself as accountable for finishing the production in a timely manner as you asked of your actors when it was time for their lines. If you managed to stay ahead of the game and worked as you went, you shouldn't find it too hard to complete your production within a few weeks or days depending on individual circumstances.
5. Communicate with your actors! Tell them if there is a delay and you won't be able to finish the production for a while, tell them if you're going to cancel the production, tell them whatever you need to tell them just don't ever fall off the face of the internet. These are people who you will most likely want to work with again someday. If you asked them for their free time to record and you're going to fall through on your end, you owe it them to at the very least tell them rather than assume they'll figure it out eventually. Be considerate in all ways when dealing with actors and hopefully you will inspire the same in return.
Sort of as a last but not least, let your actors know when you're done so they can listen and review it. You need the exposure and critiques they can give and face it, who doesn't want to listen to something they were in? Don't expect them to just stumble across it wherever you have it posted, leave a link to it in an e-mail, PM or other means and draw that traffic in. It's a good idea to critique the actor's as well, privately or publicly. Not only does it help people grow as actors but prompts a response in return. The longer people discuss your production, the longer it's in the public eye.
Happy mixing,
Niko